Computing beam-scale



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' `H. E. SWIFT.

COMPUTING BEAM SCALE.

No. 552,676. Patented Jan. 7, 1896.

El 1 a Il@ 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.l

(No Mbdel.)

vH. E. SWIFT. COMPUTING BEAM SCALE.

wig/Leases.

@Wwf JWM UNTTED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

HORACE E. SYIFT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE JONES- SlVlFT MANUFAOTRNG COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MANE.

COMPUTING BEAM-SCALE.

SPECFCAIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,676, dated January 7, 1896.

Application filed March 19, 1895.

To all whoml t may concer/t:

Be it known that I, HORACE E. SWIFT, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Computing Beam-Scales, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

1 o his invention has for its object the production of a computing beam-scale of simple and durable construction, whereby the movement of the poise upon the usual beam will indicate the weight, computing mechanism to indicate the aggregate price of the article weighed according to a given price, being operable proportionally to the movement of the poise, a manually-operated controlling member determining by its angularity the extent of movezo ment of the computing mechanism.

In accordance therewith my invention consists, in a computing beam-scale, of a weighing member including a beam, and a poise movable thereon, computing mechanism proportionally to the movement of the poise, a

controlling member to determine by its angular position the extent of movement of said computing mechanism, and means to manually fix and maintain the angularity of said controlling member, substantially as will be described.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure l, in elevation, represents one form et beam-scale embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of the overhanging arm of the scale with the front plate removed to show the operating parts. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the irregular line x 0c, Fig. 2, looking toward the left; and Fig. at is a perspective view of a detail to be described.

Referring to Fig. l, the base A, standard A', platform B, graduated beam B fulcrumed at 5, and the connecting-link B2 between the beam and the platform-supports are and may be of any usual and well-known construction.

The standard A has secured thereto by a bracket a, Figs. 2 and 3, an overhanging arm 5o a', preferably grooved longitudinally in its front side at c2, Fig. 3, to receive a rib hX on a Serial No. 542,340. (No model back plate l) provided with a projecting wall or flange b', straight at its ends and a portion of the top, and circularly curved at b2, Figs.

l and 3, the said curved portion being provided with an inturned ledge b3, upon which a dial rests and is secured, as by suitable screws 6. A front plate c vis secured to the ange h/ and extended across the arm, the bottom of the front plate being slightly higher than the 6o bottom of the back plate for a purpose to be described. Ahorizontal guide-rod c is rigidly secured to the end walls Z2 behind the front plate, Fig. 3, and a slide-block c', (shown separately in Fig. 4,) movable longitudinally on 5 the rod c, is provided with a rearwardly-eX tended foot c2, upon which is rigidly mounted a post c3, loosely surrounded by a movable collar c4. The collar cL has pivoted thereon at c5 a slotted or grooved block d, in engage- 7o ment with a controlling member d. (Shown in Fig. 2 as an arm pivoted at cl2 to the back plate l) in the plane of the guide-rod c and connected at its base end by a pin or stud d3 to one end of a lever d* fulcrumed at (Z5.)

A hollow sleeve e, Figs. 2 and 3, is rotatable in bearings in the dial D and in a bracket eX, and has secured to it behind the dial a plate c having an evolute periphery, and a bevel-gear e2, in mesh with a similar gear e3 8o tast on a shaft e4, mounted in a bearing e5 and extended through the curved wall b2, its outer end having fast thereon a suitable milled or other nut e, whereby the evolute e may be rotated in one or the other direction. Guides 85. d on the back plate receive a slide-rod (Z7, bent over, as at dg, to bear against the edge of the evolute c', and pivoted at its lower end to the lever d'1. Obviously, rotation of the evolute e' in the direction of the arrow 20, 9o Fig. 2, will depress the slide-rod CF, turning the lever dton its fulerum, and by raising its free end increasing the angularity ofthe controlling member d relative to the guide-rod c, opposite rotation of the evolute decreas- 95 ing the angularity of said member, which is inoperative when parallel to the guide-rod. The weight of the long arm of the lever d4, the controlling member d' and the parts resting thereon is sufficient to turn said lever on roo its pivot to elevate the slide-rod d? and keep it in engagement with the evolute plate,

though it will be obvious that if desired a spring could be attached to the slide-rod to aid in elevating it.

The evolute, its rotating devices and the connections between the evolute and the controlling member d constitute manually-operated means to ix or adjust the angularity of the latter. The angularity oi' the member d controls the vertical movement of the collar c1 on the post c3 through the block d, according to the extent of lateral movement of the block c longitudinally on the guide-rod c, for it is evident that unless the member d is par allel to the guide-rod c the collar c4 will be raised higher the more nearly the slide-block c approaches the right-hand end thereof, viewing Fig. Q. A bar f, pivotally supported on like links f to rise and fall in parallelism with the guide-rod, rests on a projecting pin c on the collar c", to be raised or lowered by vertical movement of the latter. The foot of a vertically-movable rack. g bears on the top of the bar f, the rack-teeth meshing with a pinion g fast on a spindle g2 stepped in a bearing gx on the back plate b and extended loosely through and beyond the sleeve e, a hand or pointer G, Fig. l, secured to the spindle co-operating with a scale G' on the face of the dial denoting dollars and cents, said hand being moved through an angular distance proportional to the throw of the rack g. The rack g having a variable throw, and the connections between it and the indicating hand or pointer G constitute computing mechanism7 it being evident that the higher the collar c'1 is moved the greater will be the threw of the rack g, and its hand G will sweep over a larger arc on the dial.

A hand or pointer E is secured te the outer end oi' the sleeve e to ce-operate with a scale E/ on the dial-face, and herein shown. as numbered from zero to 99, though any other numbering may be used as desired.

The slide-block c projects beneath the front plate ctx (see Fig. 3) and has thereon an upturned lug c7, (clearly shown in Figs. 3 and #1,) having a vertical side lO and preferably an inclined side l2, ears cm and C12 being pivoted to said lug adjacent its sides, as shown in Fig. l and partially in Figs. 3 and The ears are normally separated by suitable springs s, Fig. 3 and 4.-, that spring controlling the ear cl2 being preferablyv harder than the other, so that when compressed the ear el@ will be more easily brought against the vcrtical side lO iirst.

The poise BX, movable longitudinally on the graduated beam B' in well-known manner, has a depending linger 30 thereon, one side being in the vertical place of the indicating side of the poise, said linger preferably extending between the ears cw and cl2, but out of engagement at all times with the lug c7.

Then it is desired to weigh and compute the aggregate price ci' an article for a given unit price, the operator preferably grasps the cars, moving ear ci" against the vertical side l0 of the lug ci, holding the ngerSO between the ears, and the poise is moved along the beam B until the weight of the article is indicated on the beam. The linger Si) is held in alignment with the vertical side lO of the lug by the linger-piece C10, and the block c is moved a corresponding distance on the guiderod c. Eitherbefore orafterward the thumbnut cG is turned to bring the hand E opposite the given unit price, thereby iixing the angularity of the controlling member CV, and so determining the vertical movement of the collar c4 on the post cS for every increment of weightindicated bythe poise BX on the beam. It this is done before operating the computing mechanism, movement of the latter will cause a simultaneous sweep of the hand or pointer G over its scale,l so that the price of the article will be computed on the dial as the movement is effected. inasmuch as the throw of the rack g depends on the extent of vertical movement imparted to the bar jl by the collar ci, and as such movement of the latter is determined by the angularity of the controlling member, it will be obvious that the controlling member governs or determines the movement of the computing mechanism.

The various parts are so adj usted that the computing mechanism will compute and indicate the aggregate cost of any article weighed, for a given unit price, within the limits ot' the scale.

lf the article is first weighed and then the angularity of the controlling member lined, the result will be the same, the computed cost being at once indicated on the dial, the hand G moving thereon simultaneously with the adjustment of the controlling men'iber.

lt will be observed that the movement ol? the computing mechanism is due to the :resultant of the the horizontal and vertical movements imparted to the collar ci, and the scale is consequently what may be termed a right-line computing-scale.

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement herein shown and described, for, so iar as l am aware, it is broadly new t-o determine the movement el the computing mechanism of a beam.-scale by the angularity of a controlling member manually operated according to the unit price olf the article weighed and maintained in fixed position.

l prefer, for the sake of convenience and rapidity of operation, to actuate the computing mechanism simultaneously with the movement of the poise on the beam; but it will be obvious that the poise may be moved on the beam and the computing mechanism independently operated proportionally to such movement, so that my invention is not restricted to a movement of the computing mechanism by vthe poise.

l. In a computing beam scale, a weighing member, including a beam and a poise movable thereon 5 computin gmechanism operable7 IOO IIO

proportionally to the movement of the poise; a controlling member to determine by its angular position the extent of movement of said computing mechanism; and means to manually fix and maintain the angularity of the controlling member, substantially as described.

2. In a computing beam scale, a Weighing member, including a beam, and a poise movable thereon; computing mechanism; conncctions between it and the poise, to operate said mechanism by movement of the poise on the beam; a controlling member co-operating With said connections, to determine by its angular position the movement of the computing mechanism; and means to manually iix and maintain the angularity of said member according to the unit price, substantially as described.

ln a computing beam scale, a graduated beam and a poise movable thereon; a dial provided With a price indicating scale, and a pointer movable thereon; computing mechanism to move said pointer; a controlling member to determine by its position the movement ot said mechanism; means adjustable according' to the unit price to iiX and maintain the position of the controlling member, and normally disconnected means intermediate the poise and computing mechanism, to operate the latter, substantially as described.

-L In a computing beam scale, a Weighing member, including a beam and a poise movable thereon; computing mechanism; a pivoted controlling member to determine by its angular position the movement ot said mechanism connect-ions intermediate the poise and the computing mechanism, in operative engagcment With said controlling member, and means to manually move said member on its pivot and thereby iix and maintain its angularity according to the unit price, substantially as described.

5. In a computing beam scale, a Weighing member, including a beam and a poise movable thereon; computing mechanism; connections intermediate said mechanism and poise, including a member movable in a right line path proportionally to the movement of the poise; a controlling arm to determine by its angular position the movement of said member at right angles to its said path, whereby the computing mechanism is operated by the resultant movement of said members; and means to manually iiX and maintain the angularity of said controlling arm, substantially as described.

G. In a computing beam scale, a beam and a poise movable thereon; computing mechanism, including a rack having a variable throw, connections between said rack and the poise, operated by adjustment of the poise, to throw the rack a pivoted controlling member in engagement with said connections and to determine by its angular position the throw of said rack; and means to manually X and maintain the angular position of said controlling member, substantially as described.

7. In a computing beam scale, a graduated beam and a poise movable thereon; a slide block movable in a plane parallel to the beam and adapted to be moved proportionally to the movement of the poise; a fixed guide for said block; a collar mounted on and adapted to be moved at right angles to the path of the slide block; computing mechanism operable by movement of said collar; a manually adj ustable controlling member to determine by its position the movement of the collar relative to the slide block, whereby the computing mechanism will be moved in accordance with the adjustment ot the poise and the controlling member, substantially as described.

8. In a computing beam scale, a graduated beam and a poise movable thereon; computing mechanism operable by adjustment of the poise; a controlling member to determine by it-s angular position the movement of said mechanism; and means to iiX and maintain the position of said member, including a rotatable plate having an evolute periphery and connections intermediate it and the controlling member, substantially as described.

9. In a computing beam scale, a graduated beam and a poise movable thereon; a dial having unit and computed-price scales thereon pointers co-operatively movable thereon; computing mechanism. operable by adjustment of the poise, to actuate the computed price pointer; a pivoted controlling member to determine by its angularity the movement of said computing mechanism; and means to manually iiX and maintain the angular position of said controlling member and simultaneously actuate the unit-price pointer, substantially as described. y

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tivo subscribing Witnesses.

HORACE E. SWIFT. Witnesses:

JOHN C; EDWARDs, AUeUsTA E. DEAN.

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